Mississippi compliance
Mississippi hazardous waste regulations
How MDEQ runs the hazardous waste program, and where Mississippi goes beyond the federal baseline.
Mississippi is authorized by EPA to administer the RCRA hazardous waste program, so MDEQ enforces state rules at Mississippi Administrative Code Title 11, Part 3 in place of the federal regulations. The state program is at least as stringent as federal RCRA and in several areas goes further.
Source: Mississippi Administrative Code Title 11, Part 3Where Mississippi goes beyond federal RCRA
An authorized state may be more stringent than the federal baseline, and Mississippi is:
- Mississippi charges annual hazardous waste generator fees scaled to generator category
- The state has limited in state commercial treatment capacity, so most hazardous waste is shipped out of state
- MDEQ coordinates closely with Gulf Coast emergency response for hurricane season contingency
Federal RCRA is the floor, not the ceiling. Compliance with 40 CFR alone does not establish compliance in an authorized state.
The industry mix that drives Mississippi waste streams
Shipbuilding on the Gulf Coast, furniture manufacturing, agriculture and agrochemicals, automotive assembly, chemical processing. That mix determines which waste codes turn up most often and which treatment capacity matters.
Knowing the local stream profile is practical rather than academic. It is why a quote for a Mississippi site is built from the process rather than from a rate card, and why the treatment path is named before anything is scheduled.
Waste streams we see most in Mississippi
- Shipyard blast media, paint and solvent waste
- Furniture finishing lacquers and thinners
- Agricultural chemical containers and rinsate
- Automotive assembly paint waste
- Legacy pesticide stocks from agricultural operations
Common questions
Does federal RCRA or Mississippi law apply to my site?
Both, but in practice you comply with the Mississippi rules. Because EPA has authorized the state program, MDEQ enforces Mississippi Administrative Code Title 11, Part 3. Those rules incorporate the federal requirements and add state specific provisions.
Who inspects hazardous waste generators in Mississippi?
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, through the Office of Pollution Control, Environmental Permits Division. EPA retains oversight and can inspect directly, but routine generator inspections are a state function.
Are there state only waste codes in Mississippi?
Authorized states can regulate wastes the federal program does not. Check the state rule for any state only classifications before assuming a stream is unregulated, particularly for used oil, universal waste and industrial non hazardous waste.
Related services
Generating hazardous waste in Mississippi?
Send a profile, an old manifest, or photographs of the drums. A technical professional will tell you what applies and what it costs.
This page summarizes state and federal requirements and is not legal advice. State rules change. Verify against the current version of the state code and with the state agency before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.